Ricoh offers fix for Pentax K3 II power-off problem

Just two months after the launch of its Pentax K-3 II DSLR, Ricoh Imaging has today moved quickly to address an issue discovered in early production of the camera. According to the company, certain K-3 II bodies can fail to turn off even after the Power switch is moved to the Off position, if the camera is left without a charged battery installed for an extended period of days or weeks. This issue has already been corrected in all cameras currently coming off the production line.

Although it doesn't elaborate as to the precise cause, it seems likely that the problem is one of hardware, as affected cameras must be returned to the company for repair. That being the case, Ricoh is requesting all owners with cameras in the stated serial number ranges to return their cameras for free inspection and repair, even if the problem has not yet manifested itself.

If you want to know whether your Pentax K-3 II is affected by this service program, you'll want to turn the body over and check the serial number, which is located directly behind the battery compartment at the base of the handgrip. Any camera with a serial number of 6206660 or higher will not be affected by the problem, and you can continue shooting safe in that knowledge.

If your serial number is below 6206660, however, you'll want to confirm whether or not it is affected by comparison your number to the list below. If yours is within the listed ranges, you need not return the camera for repair. If it is both below 6206660 and not shown within the ranges below, you'll need to return your camera to Ricoh, however.

Pentax K-3 II DSLR
serial number

Affected by power-off issue?

6206660 or below

Possibly, if not within
the following ranges

6187961-6188110

Not affected

6192376-6192380

Not affected

6192386-6192390

Not affected

6192436-6192440

Not affected

6196362-6196369

Not affected

6196661-6196960

Not affected

6197748-6197750

Not affected

6197768-6197770

Not affected

6199671

Not affected

Serial numbers below
6206660 and not listed
within ranges above

Yes, please contact Ricoh for service

If your camera is one of those few which is affected by this issue and you're in the US market, you should call the Ricoh Imaging USA customer service department at 1-800-234-0276 to arrange for your camera to be serviced. If you're outside of the United States, we would recommend contacting your local Ricoh Imaging office or authorized Ricoh dealer for advice as to how to proceed.